Stop Doing '3 Sets of 12' To Build Muscle (I'M BEGGING YOU!)

If you are doing “3 sets of 12” in your workouts to build muscle, then you must watch this before your next training session. You see, there is inherently nothing wrong with any rep scheme that you perform if you do so with high effort and an adequate amount of intensity to build muscle. The problem is, 3 sets of 12 is so commonly performed as the end goal rather than considering the effort behind it that it can become a hallmark of ineffective workout programs.

I start this video off by having Jesse perform a sets of dumbbell incline bench press for 12 reps. Your job is to see if you can spot what he is doing wrong on the set. Many might look to the angle of his elbows, the path of the dumbbells or the position of his hands even. None of these would be right. The problem is the speed of each rep, more specifically, the speed of the eccentric or lowering part of the rep.

When you perform your eccentric reps too quickly you miss out on one of the most significant muscle hypertrophy stimuli that is available to you in your workouts. Often times, people will speed through this portion of the rep, completing the lowering of the dumbbells in one second or less. This is not as detrimental when the weights that are being used are significantly heavy and the main driver of growth in this case is mechanical tension.

When the weights start to get lighter, allowing for reps to failure that are greater than 5-6, and more accurately up in the 8-12 rep range, then you need to rely on alternate methods for driving overload. The eccentric muscle damage pathway is one that is perfectly suited to help you to grow. The key factor here is to try and extend that period to about 3 seconds per rep, paired with a 1 second explosive concentric. This is a total of 4 seconds per rep.

When performing a set of 12 reps, this would take you to 48 seconds for the set duration - enough accumulated time under tension to make an impact when it comes to building muscle.

Remember, tension is the language that muscles speak. You must become fluent in it if you want to build muscle fast and forever.

In the absence of heavy weights, that many would argue are better suited to build strength rather than size, then you need to employ methods of set intensification that will help you to grow muscle.

Far too often, people see “3 sets of 12” written on their workout program and they simply want to be able to check off each set and every rep as either accomplished or not. What I am saying is that this mentality is short sighted and not the original goal of the prescription. Who cares if you get to 12 reps? If you fail at 11 is the set not still effective? If slowing the speed of the eccentric down causes you to feel each rep in the target muscle more easily and engage that muscle as intended - does it matter that you came up one rep short of your 12 rep mission?

The answer to all of these questions is no, it does not matter.

Stop fixating on a specific rep count and instead make sure that you make your reps count.

Add onto this the fact that research has shown that you can build muscle with up to 30 reps as long as you perform these sets to absolute failure. The lighter the weights you use, the more important it is to push through the metabolic burn to the point of momentary muscle failure in order to see growth from it. The point is, the 12 rep range isn’t magical but it does require a few modifications to it to make sure that your cumulative tension is equated to the much higher mechanical tensions delivered to muscles when using heavier weight sets.

Likewise, when it comes to performing 3 sets, why? Is there something magical about the number three in so far that doing just 1 or 2 sets would render the exercise ineffective? If you are lightening up your weights because you are fearful that you can complete all 3 sets with that weight then you are already making your first mistake. Instead, use the heaviest weight that you can perform 10-12 reps with in your first set and simply adjust down as needed in subsequent sets to match your output level around your fatigue.

The bottom line is, becoming formulaic with your workouts and fixating on numbers for sets and reps is often a limiter of your ultimate muscle gains. 3 sets of 12 are fine, but when it becomes your mentality it becomes a major roadblock for more muscle growth.

For more videos on how to build muscle be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube via the above link and turn on your notifications so you never miss a video when it’s published.

[KubaEm]

"Counting repetitions is not your goal. Making all of your repetitions count is the goal".
Worth remembering! Thanks Jeff!

[joedunman]

Shoutout to Jesse for having to sit in a very awkward position for 10 straight minutes. Talk about tension.

[kbonh]

That was the longest 10 minutes of Jesse's life

[wnxhpoi]

What a good man/excellent free trainer. Explaining the exercises step by step and in detail how to do safely. A thank you is not enough. I watch your videos at least an hour. Honestly the best.

[theactualizationagent]

"The key is not counting your repititions, but to make your repetitions count". BEST ADVICE EVER! 💪🏾

[pauldan]

You guys are the definition of what internet was created in the first place for: share the knowledge and push one another to the next level. Greetings from Romania! ❤️❤️

[jonronton]

Dang, this is the best advice I've heard. I'm 51, just got back into weight training and was so focused on the reps but this makes so much sense!

[ValeriaM]

Woman.41z been doing your 100 program for three weeks. BEST program EVER! Have seen faster and amazing results than ever. And I have trained with some “pros” in Northern California that didn’t get me close to what you have. Thanks a million!!!

[nomnomyourmom]

0:50 Mistake 1: TUT and Tempo
4:15 Mistake 2: Chase number by reducing set's quality
7:50 Mistake 3: Fixate on 12
"Counting repetitions is not your goal, making all of your repetitions count is the goal"

[ameralameddine]

Very insightful, reminds me of Goodhart's law:
“When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”

[ztofii]

Its so cool you still have Jesse with you.

[MMKnight_]

I train on the 3x6-12 principle. I use a weight that I at least can do 6 reps with, and once I reach 10-12, I increase the weight using the same method. Has worked wonders for me.

[trentdoell]

Apart from the amazing knowledge that you have, I find your incredible passion for guiding/teaching/advising us an integral part of my fitness journey. Thanks, Jeff.

[Reeceofrivia]

I've just started training again after a year and after all the research I've done, I wish I found this 10 years ago... Thanks so much.

[ReaperFerril]

Thank you for a major "lightbulb moment!" Not merely fixating on numbers, but the manner in which this fixation manifests. I should have been able to see much of this on my own, but I was letting my ego (and misunderstandings) guide me--until your saying something so blindingly obvious gave me that moment of clarity. At 71, I've finally been consistent in hitting the gym at least 3 days per week for almost a year now, but some of the gains I'd hoped for weren't showing up (others definitely were, so I wasn't dejected by it all). Now I have one of the reasons why I'm not yet seeing the true beginnings of the results I want and a viable plan to fix that.

Again, thanks ever so for this particular video.

[GJ-GamingJunkie]

I've always done 4 sets of 12 reps per exercise and always done each set slow enough to complete the set in 45 to 60 seconds. If I can go past 12, I increase the weight until I can only get 8 reps, then ill work my way back up to 12 reps over the weeks, then increase the weight again. Good time under tension and always pushing for progressive overload. Its never let me down!

[mqbuzbq]

Sr., you are absolutely right, for so many years I made that mistake, just trying to make it to the last rep and doing a poor job. Now I have slow down and I started to see actual results, slowly but surely!! Thank you for teaching the proper way how to exercise.😊

[nkiruedema]

I just had to subscribe... This is true! No more reps for me... I'll be switching to lifting till muscle failure. I just started including weights to my workouts and I've realized I've been missing out by quitting once i get tired. Rest gives me the opportunity to get back into it when i thought i couldn't get another set in. Great info! Thank you for sharing ❤

[andrewdavis]

Wow, Jeff thanks for the insight and great info. Jessie, thanks for being the "regular every guy" that is listening and using this info... you two are the right mix of smart and funny.

[allenm]

It’s incredible how much meat is on Jesse’s frame from when they did the first video on this topic. His confidence also.
If anyone who is a beginner is confused or having trouble applying this, it’s ok. I had the same problem when the first video came out. I was following his program at the time too. If you have a good program you’re doing, focus on form and being consistent with your training. Over time increase weight or reps or difficulty of sets, and you will see results. Don’t sweat the details or many different ways to improve a set. You got this!